The present disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) printing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a novel 3D printing material which incorporates a color shift pigment.
3-D printing has been a popular method of creating various prototypes. There are several different methods of 3-D printing, but the most widely used and the least expensive is a process known as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). FDM printers use a thermoplastic filament, which is heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, to create a three dimensional object.
Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is one of the more common modes employed in 3D printing. FDM printers use a thermoplastic filament, which is heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, to create a three dimensional object. In particular, a thermoplastic material is first extruded into filament, then the filament wire supplies material into a heated nozzle. Molten thermoplastic filament is then extruded from the nozzle and material is disposed in layers. FDM printers use a printing material, which constitutes the finished object, and a support material, which acts as a scaffolding to support the object as it is being printed. It has the benefit of being one of the least expensive and most accessible for 3D printers, especially for industrial prototypes and for the home hobbyist.
The most common printing material for FDM is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) which is a thermoplastic and has a glass transition temperature of about 105° C. Another common printing material for FDM is poly-lactic acid (PLA) which is a biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources and has a glass transition temperature 60-65° C. Both ABS and PLA are easily melted and fit into small molds. Although several materials with unique specifications are available, such as PLA and ABS, there is a continuing need for new polymers and polymer combinations to provide a wider selection of specifications and capabilities to address various downstream applications of the resultant printed object.
Color shift pigments are commonly used in a variety of paints, inks, extrusions, powder coatings, plastics, and other forms for decorative and security applications. Color shift pigments exhibit the property of changing color upon variation of the angle of incident light, or as the viewing angle of the observer is shifted. That is, substrates painted or printed with color shift pigments show change of color when viewed at different angles. However, to date, the use of color shift pigments in 3D printing has not been known.
Thus, there is a need to provide 3D printing compositions that may provide desirable new properties to the resulting 3D printed object such as the ability to create a wide range of effect colors.